Aeration apparatus



June 18, 1929. L. LOGAN AERATION APPARATUS Filed June 28 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet June 18, 1929. LOGAN 1,717,713

AERA'II ON APPARATUS Filed June 28 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A; ATTORNlEl;

June 18, 1929. LOGAN I 1,717,713

AERATION APPARATUS Filed June 28 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 j i INVENTOR x; ATTORNEEYJ June 18, 1929. L. LOGAN AERATI ON APPARATUS Filed June 28 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 aerators.

Patented June 18, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LLOYD LOGAN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE KOPPERS COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA AERATION APPARATUS.

Application filed June 28,

This invention relates in general to aerators such as are used for the purpose of diffusing air or gas into liquids, and more particularly to tubular fabric aerators, such as described and claimed in the copendmg application for United States Letters Patent of Gilbert E. Seil, Serial No. 21,978, filed April 9, 1925, and hereinafter designated as the Seil aerator, and of Frederick W. Sperr, Jr., Serial No. 107,479, filed May 7, 1926, and hereinafter designated as the Sperr aerator.

The utility and efiiciency of porous aerators in obtaining an extremely fine comnnnution of the air used for aeration of l1qu1ds in which such aerators are immersed, is well known, but the permeable porous structure of such aerators, as for example, Filtros, earthenware, wood blocks, fabric blankets, and the like, is liable to be clogged by fine particles deposited therein in actual operation. This tendency is especially marked 111 the aeration of solutions, suspensions, liqulds containing bacteria, sulphided liquids, and more particularly gas purification liqulds, sewage, ore pulps, and the like. The Sell aerator, consists, in brief, of a tubular fabric envelope sustained between a pair of opposite fianges rigidly spaced from each other, in such a manner as to permit vibration of the same in the manner hereinabove recited, represented a distinct advance in the art.

The Sperr aerator is a modification of the said Seil aerator which provides for alternately collapsing and inflating complementary portions of the fabric structure by means of a piston-like partition adapted to move reciprocally along the length of the aerator.

Aside from the actual functioning troubles, as recited above, and in the application above referred to, a difliculty encountered in the use of Seil, Sperr, or other'aerators intended to be submerged in a liquid, and handled from the level of the latter, results in part from the natural buoyancy of such This fact makes it difficult to position the said aerators, as they tend always to rise in the liquid, and, failing to accomplish this, tend to be displaced laterally. This efi'ect destroys the regular arrangement of aerators in the liquid, and is a source of annoyance. Even though notches or grooves be provided to position the said aerators, by engaging the ends 1926. Serial No. 119,206.

ators are to be immersed.

In my invention I have provided means for positioning and securing aerators of the class described. Such means further provide for the easy removal of the aerators and for their insertion into the liquid being aerated. My invention further consists in such other new and useful improvements and has for further objects such other improvements in operation, advantages or results as may be found to obtain in the apparatus hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specifications and showing for purposes of exemplification a preferred form and manner in which the invention may be embodied and practiced without limiting the claimed invention specifically to such illustrative instance or instances:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevational view of an aeration tank including an aerator and means for positioning and securing the same within the tank;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of means for handling, positioning and securing an aerator within an aeration tank and means for supplying air to the said aerator with the aerator and tank shown partly broken away;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational view of an alternate form of aeration tank embodying1 the apparatus of the present invention; an

Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are detail views of various portions of the structure shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, Fig. 7 in particular being a secgion taken along the line 77 of Fig. 1; an

Figs. 9 and 10 are longitudinal and crosssectional views respectively of a form of the present invention especially adapted to the aeration of sewage or similar wastes and Fig. 11 is an elevational view partly in section of an aerator as shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

The same characters of reference designate the same parts in each of the several views of the drawings, and parts different in position or character. but intended for similar functions are distinguished by the addition of marks, thus 42 and 42'.

For purposes of convenience, the presen invention has been shown in an embodiment particularly related to the Seil aerator. The said Seil aerator, which is indicated generally by the character of reference A, consists of a porous tubular vibratile fabric 10. Said fabric 10 is secured by the clamps 11 to the flanges 12 of the end pieces 13 which are rigidly spaced from andopposite to each other by means of the perforated pipe 14. Said pipe 14 also serves to distribute compressed air along theentire length of the interior of the aerator A, and communicates at one end thereof with the vertical air supply 15 for this purpose.

The vertical air supply pipe 15 terminates at its upper end in the Y-bend or lateral 16, the lateral opening of which is fastened to and communicates with the flexible air hose 17 through which compressed air is introduced to the aerator A. The upper and vertical opening of the lateral 16 is sealed and carries the yoke 18 that is provided with handle 19 for lifting purposes. Both the yoke 18 and end piece 13 are provided with more or less crescent-shaped jaws 20 and 21 respectively. At the opposite end of the aerator, the construction is similar except that in this case no provision for the admission of air is necessary and consequently the vertical arm 22 need not be hollow or need not communicate with the perforated pipe 14. On this account also, the end piece 13 may not be provided with a communicating passage. At this end of the apparatus, the lateral 16 is unnecessary and the vertical piece 22 terminates at its upper extremity in the yoke 18.

For the purpose of guiding, supporting and securing the aerators A, I have provided at the ends thereof vertical guide rods that are indicated generally by the reference character R. The said guides R rest in the sockets 23 that are fastened to the bottom and close to the end of the aerator tank T. Further rovision for securing the guides R is provi ed by the sleeves 24 that are fastened to the sides of the tank T or to other supporting means, as necessary, directly above the sockets 23. It is important that the external diameter of the sleeve 24 should not exceed that of the guide rod R and for this reason and also for the purpose of preventing vertical displacement of the rod R, the latter is preferably divided into an upper and lower portion which are rigidly connected by means of the short rod 25, which is of such cross-sectional area and length as to freely pass through the opening of the sleeves 24 and rigidly join upper and lower portions of the rod R, respectively, allowing an axial rotation of the latter. The shouldered junctures of the rod 25 and the upper and lower portions of the rod R engage the upper and lower ends of the sleeves 24 respectively and thus prevent lateral displace ment of the guide rod R. The upper extremity of the said guide rod R is flattened and turned at a right angle'to form the narrow strap handle 26, the thickness of which is less than the distance between the jaws 20 and 21 already referred to. Near the lower end of the guide rod R is fastened thereto key 27, also of a thickness less than the width of the said jaws 20 and 21 and at a distance above the socket 23 equal to the vertical thickness of the end piece 13.

In order that the operation and relation of the various parts may be clearly set forth and understood, I will now describe the method of inserting, securing, unfastening and withdrawing the aerators.

Referring particularly to Fig. 2, the guide rod R has been shown in such position as to secure the aerator A, which is resting in its normal position near the bottom of the tank T. The jaws 20 and 21 engage the guide rod R at each end of the aerator and vertical displacement is prevented by the key 27, which is shown in the locked position bearing upon the upper surface of the end piece 13. \Vhen it is desired to lift the aerator A, the handle 26 of the guide R at each end of the aerator is turned through 90 degrees, thereby moving the key 27 to a point directly above the opening between the jaws 21 and the end piece 13. This new position of the handle 26 and key 27 is indicated by the dotted outlines. The aerator is then free to rise and tends to do so by reason of its own buoyancy but may be assisted if necessary by inserting a crane hook or other lifting means of any convenient sort around the handles 19 and, applying the same to lift the aerator. The aerator may even be lifted clear of the entire structure for complete removal from the tank as the handle 26 is now in such position as to allow a free passage of the yoke 18 and end piece 13. When the aerator is to be replaced in the tank, it is caused to engage the guide rods R in the same manner as before and is allowed to fall, and, if necessary, is forced down, until the end pieces 13 and 13' rest upon the sockets 23 and that the handles 26 are then turned so as to lock the aerator in position.

The handles 19 are preferably clear of the liquid when the aerators are in the normal aerating position, and the guide rods R are preferably high enough to continue to engage the yokes 18 when the aerators A float on the surface of the liquid. This relation is clearly shown in Fig. 3.

It is often convenient and desirable to provide an aeration tank wider thanthe practical length of the aerators A and such tank T is shown in Fig. 3. In this instance, the tank T is somewhat over twice as long as the aerators A and a plurality of pairs of aerators A placed end to end serve the purpose of the single aerators in the narrower tank T of Fig. 1. In this instance, the sleeves 24 are preferably used only at the ends of the tank and provision for holding and securing the rods R in the center of the tank is made in the alternate double sleeve 28. With reference to Fig. 4, this comprises a pair of sleeves connected and rigidly spaced from each other by means of a narrow web, the whole being rigidly attached to the angle 29 extending along the length of the tank T.

In Fig. 3, there is also shown the preferred manner of supplying air to the aerators A. The main conduits or headers 30 which serve the entire series of aerators A in the tank or adjacent to one end thereof communicate through the vertical conduits 31 and valves 32 with the subheaders 33 of which there is one for each battery of aerators A. or compartment of the tank T, or each end of the same. The subheaders 33 communicate to the aerators A through the pipes 43 and flexible, hose 17, which allow the said aerators to be lowered into position and lifted as desired without interruption of the flow of the air. The arrangement shown is particularly advantageous in that the air supply to the section of the tank T or T may be shut off by merely closing the valves 32. V

For convenience in removing the aerators A and also in replacing them in the normal aerating position, I provide the valves 42 and three-way cocks 44 in the air supply pipes 43. After shutting off the supply of compressed air to the aerators A by closing either valve 32 or 42, a certain amount of air under pressure will be maintained in the aerators which are under hydrostatic pressure. This air causes a vertical thrust on the keys 27, and may make it diflicult for the operator to turn the guide R to release the aerators A. However, by turning the three-way cocks 44 into such position as to allow the confined air to be released into the atmosphere, the aerators A are quickly deflated. This manipulation is also of assistance in lowering the-aerators into position in the liquid. The normal position of the three-way cocks 44 is, of course, such as to prevent escape of the compressed air from line 43 into the atmosphere.

In the aeration of sewage, which is generally accomplished in deep masonry aeration chambers, I have found that the requirements differ considerably from those incident to the aeration of gas purification liquids and the like, and I have found that a modified form of my invention as illustrated in Figs. 9, 10 and 11 is particularly adapted to such requirements. As shown in these figures, aeration of sewage is conducted in the relatively deep chambers C. These are preferably of the so-called Manchester type, in WhlCll the aeration is conducted along one side of the bottom of the tank only. The remainder of the bottoms 35 of the chambers are inclined in the direction of the aerating means A. This construction causes a rolling motion of the sewage which rises above the aerator to the surface and is returned to the aerator by passing downward in the opposite side and across the bottoms 35 of the chambers C. However, other forms of aeration tank may be used. In the present instance, the construction of the guides R is identical with the construction as hereinabove described, but the sockets 23 are conveniently made so as to be fitted into the concrete structure of the aeration chamber C. This is also true of the sleeves 24'. In the present instance, I preferably provide the aerators A at each end thereof with the end pieces 13' that are not provided with a connecting passage for the air supplied to the aerators A. The construction of the upright lifting arms 22 is thus identical with the construction of the arms 22 of Fig. 1, on the end of the aerator opposite to that in which air is supplied. In the present instance, air is admitted to the aerator through the conduit 36, which is located midway between the ends of the aerator.A and said air passes through the T-shaped fitting 37 to enter both of the hollow foraminous axial members 14. The aerators A thus consist principally of the pair of thin fabric envelopes 10, which are secured by fasteners 11 to the periphery of the end pieces 13 and the flanges 38. The gaskets 39 are provided to prevent leakage of air.

Air is supplied to the conduits 36 through the flexible pipes 17 and risers 40 from the air headers 41 and the air supplied to the individual aerators A is controlled by valves 42 and the three-way cocks 44.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the aerators described are conveniently lifted and removed from the liquid being aerated and also easily placed in proper position and rigidly secured there, by means of the present invention. The fact that the liquid being aerated may be opaque, or even corrosive in character with respect-to human flesh does not prevent the easy manipulation of ,the aerator tubes. The invention has been set forth and described above in this specification and in the drawings attached hereto. with reference to a particular volume but may be otherwise embodied, as for instance to suit the requirements of the Sperr or other aerators, within the scope of the following claims.

The invention as hereinabove set forth is embodied in particular form but may be variously embodied within the scope of the claims hereinafter made.

I claim: I

1. Apparatus for diffusing gas in finely comminuted form into a liquid comprising, in combination: a tubular fabric envelope horizontally suspended between a pair of opposite flanged end pieces, said end pieces being provided with yokes each of which engages a vertically disposed guide in such -manner as to allow only vertical displacement of the said envelope; locking means for keeping the said envelope submerged in the liquid and adapted to be movable at will into such position as will release the said envelope; and means for introducing gas into the said envelope.

2. In a gas and liquid contact tank, in combination: a plurality of guides mounted for rotation in said tank, and emergent from the said liquid and provided with key means near the lower ends thereof, and a plurality of pairs of oppositely disposed end pieces, said end pieces being provided with yoked flanges adapted to engage the said guides, and being free to rise or fall vertically except when restrained by said key means, and a plurality of fabric envelopes each of which is suspended between a pair of the said end pieces and provided with air supply means.

3. Apparatus for positioning gas diffusion means near the the bottom of a body of liquid which comprises a pair of vertically disposed guides adapted to be engaged by the opposite ends of a horizontally elongated gas diffusion member extending therebetween, and to prevent lateral displacement of the same, and locking means on said guides for retaining the said member in a submerged position.

4. Apparatus for aeration of liquids, comprising, in combination: a tank; a tubular fabric aerating member therein; air piping in said tubular fabricmembemend members for said tubular fabric member to which said fabric is secured; vertically arranged guide rods at each end of said fabric member; means for securing said guide rods in said tank, said means permitting axial rotation of said guide rods; means including a flexible conduit for delivering air to said air piping; guide members for said tubular fabric member, said guide members being slidably mounted on said guide rods; and locking members operable by said guide rods to lock said aerating member in position.

5. Apparatus for diffusion of gas in liquids comprising, in combination: a tank; a tubular fabric gas diffuser member in said tank; piping in said tubular fabric member; end members for said tubular fabric member, one of said end members having a port for passage of gas to said piping; means for supplying gas to said port, said means including a three-way cock operable to permit release of gas from said tubular fabric member to the atmosphere; and rods for guiding said tubular member, its piping and end members into and out of liquid in said tank.

6. Apparatus for diffusing gas in liquids comprising, in combination: a tank; a plurality of guide rods therein; locking means on said rods; spaced means for maintaining said rods in position, each of said spaced means permitting rotary movement of its respective rod; a gas diffusing member in said tank; and means connected with said gas diffusing member for controlling its displacement, said means engaging said guide rods for reciprocation thereon.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 and in which one of said guide rods consists of two portions rigidly secured together by a short rod of smaller cross-sectional area than said two portions to accommodate one of said spaced means. 7

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set m hand.

y LLOYD LOGAN. 

